1. Technical Field
The present invention is a two-part stand for holding a Christmas tree or the like in an upright position, more particularly a hand-operated, rotatable stand assembly with a removeable upper portion.
2. Background Information
One mixed blessing of the Christmas season is the Christmas tree. Once decorated, it is splendid to behold. Unfortunately, procuring the tree, setting it up and decorating it, and later reversing the process, can be difficult.
Once a natural tree is purchased at a tree lot, or, as happens less frequently, is cut down by the individual household, it must be hauled home, fitted to a Christmas tree stand, and brought indoors. The tree is most often placed in a corner or against a wall in the living room or den. If, as frequently happens, the tree is found to have a crooked side or a hole in the branches, the whole tree must be lifted, turned, and set down again. Many particular families or individuals will repeat this step several times before a pleasing side is settled upon. It can be difficult to fit a Christmas tree into many tree stands which are currently available and then to decorate it. Once the tree is in place, some of today's tree stands are awkward to carry through doorways, and/or are not very stable, and the majority do not rotate. It can also be difficult to water the tree; the tree-owner often must crawl under the tree without spilling her pitcher of water, and pour the water into the stand without overfilling. Once the tree is up, the tree-owner must repeatedly squeeze behind the tree, or have a partner on the other side, to place the Christmas tree lights and then the decorative garlands around the tree, beginning at the top. Individual ornaments, which are often fragile, are ordinarily placed on the tree next. At all points, particularly when decorating the top of the tree, the tree decorators risk upsetting the tree, breaking the Christmas ornaments, and possibly injuring themselves or bystanders.
The present invention is a rotatable stand assembly for Christmas trees and the like, which has a wide, stable base so that the tree is not easily upset, and a removable upper pot portion. By "rotatable" is meant "capable of being rotated." The present tree stand assembly comprises a removable upper pot portion which preferably has a flared neck or projecting spout at the top so that the Christmas tree can be watered easily and with less spillage. The upper pot portion can easily be removed from the stand assembly and carried to the tree. The removable upper pot portion can, for example, be fitted on the tree trunk outside the house (such as in the driveway) for easier clean-up, or placed on the tree at the Christmas tree sales lot where assistance can be sought from the sales personnel.
Importantly, the present Christmas tree stand assembly also comprises a rotatable ring member which allows the upper pot portion of the stand to be rotated 360 degrees around the base portion, which remains stationary. Thus, the Christmas tree in the stand can be rotated by hand in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The best side of the tree for presentation can thus be selected easily without physically picking up the tree and the stand, turning it, putting it down, standing back and observing, and then frequently repeating the process. This is not an easy task, particularly with larger trees. With the present stand, the Christmas tree can, for example, be rotated clockwise before Christmas for attaching strings of Christmas tree lights, garlands, and ornaments, and counterclockwise for easier removal of the lights, garlands, and ornaments after Christmas. With the present stand, it is no longer necessary to have a partner help decorate the tree, or to leave room behind the tree for the decorator to squeeze through while decorating the tree. It is no longer necessary to keep moving the Christmas tree ornaments and other supplies around so that they can be reached from different decorating positions. The person decorating the tree can stand in one position as the tree revolves. In-other words, the tree goes around so that he doesn't have to. This stand reduces physical strain on the tree-owner and thus makes Christmas more enjoyable.